The late James and Maureen (O’Sullivan) Cushing / Photo provided by Jean Ellis

Some of Eastman’s Woodlands and Wildlife Committee members, acting out in Heath Forest or John’s Glen, may have on occasion been mistaken for Tarzan, but not likely for Jane. Yet Jane has had a presence here in Eastman. Maureen O’Sullivan, the beautiful Irish-born movie actress who starred in seven Tarzan films, resided in Eastman in the 1980s and 1990s.

Jean and Tom Ellis purchased a house on Bogie Place (at that time known as Troon Place) in 1988, having no idea that a famous celebrity lived across the street from them. Jean recently recalled, “On one beautiful autumn day, I met Maureen O’Sullivan as she collected colorful leaves along the road. She introduced herself to me as ‘Mrs. Cushing,’ and I remember specifically her lovely personality and gorgeous auburn, red hair. I knew that she was in many Hollywood movies, one of her famous roles being ‘Jane’ in the Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller.”

Maureen O’Sullivan had seven children with her first husband, the Australian writer and director John Farrow who passed away in 1963. One of her sons was an artist with a studio in New England where she met James Cushing, who was involved in the arts. A widow of 20 years, Maureen married James in 1983. To be nearby Maureen’s son, she and James purchased a house in Eastman in 1988 and divided their time between Eastman and a home in Arizona. Jean recalled that the Ellises would see Maureen and James only occasionally as both couples were only in Eastman seasonally. Maureen passed away in Arizona in 1998 at age 87.

Jean added, “Our friendship with Mr. Cushing continued. He showed us the large collection of movie reels they saved in their Bogie Place basement ‘entertainment room’ and their beautiful art collection.” In her first Tarzan film, Tarzan the Ape Man, in 1932, Maureen O’Sullivan played the legendary Jane Parker opposite Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller. That film also featured the debut of the chimpanzee Cheetah in a supporting role. Maureen reputedly didn’t get along well with the chimp, referring to him privately as “that ape son of a #@*%!” In her second Tarzan film with Weissmuller, Tarzan and His Mate, per the script, Tarzan pulled at the actress’ scanty costume as she dove into the water; the subsequent swim scene in which Maureen was fairly topless caused an uproar among moralist groups. “It started such a furor,” she recalled in an interview, “with thousands of women objecting to my costume.” In films that followed, Jane’s costume was more substantial and Tarzan’s loincloth was lengthened.

Besides her good looks, Maureen brought a sense of humor and a certain blend of innocence and sophistication to the girl who tries to teach the jungle hunk how to speak, starting with the famous, “You Tarzan, me Jane.” Moralists aside, the pair’s onscreen chemistry made them a hit with audiences.

Of course, her lines throughout her career weren’t limited to “You Tarzan, me Jane.” Maureen also appeared in highly regarded films such as The Thin Man, Anna Karenina, and David Copperfield. She appeared in 65 feature films and made 13 television appearances. In 1986, she co-starred with daughter Mia Farrow in the 1986 Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters. Four years prior to that film, Maureen was awarded The George Eastman Award for distinguished contribution to the art of film.

Following Maureen’s death, James continued to host numerous members of his extended family, including a few of Mia Farrow’s children, whom the Ellises had a chance to meet. Jean added, “He [James] shared a passion for theater and spoke often of his love of the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. Several years before he died, Mr. Cushing gave us a Christmas ornament of Bob Hope holding a golf club given to him by Bob Hope himself!” James passed away in 2011.

Over the years Eastman has attracted its share of celebrities, including one with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Craig McArt and Jean Ellis contributed to this article. Craig is a member of the Eastman Living Editorial Board and a member of the Woodlands and Wildlife Committee.